Live Sports Betting - What is it, how to do it and more

Live sports betting is an exciting part of gambling and we are happy to report that any online sportsbook would offer this type of wager. There isn't anything better than being able to cover earlier losses or double up your winnings, if you are on a hot streak, while the game is still going on. Or did you get late to the game and couldn't place your typical wager on time? No problem, live sports betting at the sportsbooks is where it's at! But with so much power comes responsibility, i.e. the rules and knowledge you need in order to successfully bet on sports live. Sure the mechanics of it are pretty simple:

How live sports betting works and how to do it?

 In its core, live sports betting doesn't differ much from the way anyone places bets, with the exception that the game/event is already underway. While the exact layout may be different among the different betting websites, the technical aspect is not. You simply use the "live betting" section of the site, select the wagers you'd like to place and submit your ticket. Once it has been accepted - your live bet is done. As you can see, there is really nothing complicated about this type of bet, one just has to use a different section of the betting site or different menu option, depending on your preferred sportsbook.

What are the drawbacks of live sports betting?

 Now, let's talk about the caveats that come with placing live bets. We shall begin with the simplest and most obvious one (if you've ever ventured to the live betting section of your sportsbook), and that is the race to post your bet. If you've ever had the chance to see the live betting odds on football during the weekend games, you may come to the conclusion that the stock exchange tickers are child's play. A sad fact of reality is that when there is a popular even (or fifteen), the live odds change constantly. Watching the live odds board at a sportsbook during big games is not recommended to anyone suffering from epilepsy.

 The numbers are changing constantly and the problem here is that locking in your odds could become quite problematic. Sure, you may like a team at -161, but by the time you have selected the bet, entered your wager and push that "Bet Now" button, the line could very well have moved to -180. The line is constantly being pushed one way or another by both the actions that happen on the field and by the action that's happening at the sportsbook. If there are a ton of people betting a few seconds before you, the line will certainly move and when your turn comes - the odds may not be to your liking. Add to this the feature of some online sportsbooks that makes you confirm your bet - and you are SOL locking in your chosen line.

 Once it took us nearly five minutes to place a bet on a popular basketball matchup at one sportsbook (the name is not important as it's not on our recommended list). By the time we got to the bet confirmation screen, the line has changed, so we had to accept (or decline) the changes, try to place and confirm the wager again, but again, you guessed it, the line had moved, so we had to do it again, and again, and again...well, you get the fifth circle of hell we were in.
While this doesn't happen with every live bet you want to place, should you ever end up in such a predicament, there are a few things you can do. First, see if the sportsbook allows you to disable wager confirmations, thus eliminating some of the downtime between selecting and actually placing the bet. Another thing you can do, if you know in advance that this specific game will see a lot of live action, is to already have a plan in your head - know the amount you want to wager, as well as the acceptable range of the line you are willing to bet; as soon as you see the line move in your favor - lock that 'ish in! Or if you want to take this strategy even further - you can try and "snipe" the odds. Have your bet selected, the amount already typed in and just sit and wait for the odds to change the way you want them - then just hit the button and post your wager instantly. Multi-game live bets? We salute your heroism!

What to watch out for, when betting live?

 We already talked about the movement of the line, when trying your hand at live sports betting, but it's not the only thing you should watch for. Since most of the time the difference between live betting and pregame betting is just a bit different interface and odds that change quite often, most people assume that once they have covered those aspect, they are golden. And this is where the most frustrating characteristic of live betting comes in - the different rules.
The basic rules are still the same, but live betting does have some extra ones and they could vary quite a bit from sportsbook to sportsbook. Don't assume that just because you are well aware of the specific live betting rules at one sportsbook, you could expect the same rules to hold true at another. Obviously we don't have the time nor the will to go over each individual rule for real time sports betting at every sportsbook, so the responsibility to find and learn them rests entirely on you. A common example we like to give about the live betting rules is the fact that when betting live on fourth quarter, it actually includes overtime scores, whereas if you placed it as a normal wager, it would not. There are quite a few intricacies such as this, so do some reading before you jump onto the live sports betting wagon.

 So, how do you find those live betting rules? The exact location will vary dependent on the particular sportsbook, but generally you will find them in the same place you find all of the sportsbook rules. If you have been with that sportsbook for a while, you should know where their rules are listed. And if you've never read them, please, take the time and, at the very least, skim the more general ones. Don't be the guy complaining on a forum that the betting site voided your wager, when it turns out you ended up breaking the rules or the sportsbook enforced one of theirs. In general they should be either under their own "Rules" section of the sportsbook's website or somewhere under their "Help" or "FAQ" sections.

 And finally, we would like to bring to your attention one more important caution about the live betting rules. Always keep in mind that in addition to the general sportsbook rule on live betting, there will always be sports-specific live betting rules. Never assume anything about the rules, especially the sports-specific ones, peruse them for the win.
Even after reading all this you are still not scared enough to run away from live sports betting, you may have what it takes to place some real time wagers. All jest aside, once you get the hang of it, it's really not that perilous, quite the opposite. There is plenty of opportunity in live betting, to the point that many bettors would engage exclusively in only this type of wager. So, get your practice in and hopefully you too can become a live betting pro. If you need a list of the best live betting sites to help you get you started, just follow the link to our ranking of the top sites to place live bets.